Michael Jantzi: Making 'Informed Choices' in Sustainable Investing

Our guest on the podcast  is Michael Jantzi. Michael is the chief executive officer of Sustainalytics, a Morningstar affiliate that specializes in ESG and corporate governance research and ratings. Prior to forming Sustainalytics in 2009, Michael was the founder of Jantzi Research and has been active in the responsible investment field since 1990. Michael has been recognized with numerous awards for his leadership and work on sustainable investing, including the Responsible Investment Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2010. Michael is a director of the Tides Canada Foundation and sits on the Advisory Council of Ivy Business School's Institute for Long-Term Prosperity Through Business. He also serves as a director of the Principles for Responsible Investment, or PRI. Michael holds degrees from Western University and Dalhousie University. Background Bio Sustainalytics MakeWay (formerly Tides Canada Foundation) Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) ESG Evolution What is ESG? “ESG Investing Comes of Age,” by Jon Hale and Bridget Ginty, Morningstar.com, June 2020. Sustainalytics’ ESG Risk Ratings Environmental, Social, and Governance Investing, Morningstar.com The Value and Efficacy of ESG “The True Value of ESG Data,” by Leon Saunders Calvert, refinitiv.com, Sept. 3, 2020. “Who Cares About ESG Investing?” by Steve Wendel and Samantha Lamas, Morningstar.com, May 3, 2019. “Why ESG Matters in a Crisis,” institutionalinvestor.com, June 9, 2020. “Breaking the Tragedy of the Horizon--Climate Change and Financial Stability,” speech by Mark Carney, bankofengland.co.uk., Sept. 29, 2015. “How to Align Your Investments With the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals,” by Dan Lefkovitz, Morningstar.com, Oct. 28, 2019. ESG Ratings/Subjectivity “’This Is the Shareholders’ Money’: Billionaire Warren Buffett Argues That Companies Should Stop Making Decisions Based on Their Social Beliefs,” by Ben Winck, businessinsider.com, Jan. 2, 2020. “The Department of Labor Attempts to Throttle ESG Investing,” by John Rekenthaler, Morningstar.com, July 2, 2020. ESG Best Practices “U.S. Lags Europe on Regulation of ESG Investing,” by Joe McGrath, expertinvestoreurope.com, June 3, 2019. “Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation: An Industry Game-Changer,” by Anne Schoemaker, sustainalytics.com, Nov. 4, 2020. Risk/Return “ESG Investing Is About Long-Term Risk Management,” by Alex Bryan, morningstar.com, July 14, 2020. “Sustainable Funds Weather Downturns Better Than Peers,” by Tom Lauricella and Jess Liu, Morningstar.com, June 15, 2020. “COVID-19 and Beyond: Using Sustainable Finance to Build Social Resilience,” by Jonathan Laski, sustainalytics.com, April 7, 2020.